Cannabis ads and store location influence youth marijuana use

Date:
October 8, 2020
Source:
Washington State University
Summary:
States may want to consider the proximity of cannabis retailers
and cannabis advertising to neighborhoods to prevent underage use
of the drug, according to new research.



FULL STORY ========================================================================== Advertising and location of cannabis retailers influence adolescents' intentions to use marijuana, according to a new study in the Journal of
Health Communication by Washington State University researchers.


========================================================================== Stacey J.T. Hust, associate dean in the Murrow College of Communication,
and Jessica Fitts Willoughby, associate professor of communication,
conducted a survey of 13- to 17-year-olds in Washington State to find
out how marijuana advertising and the location of marijuana retailers
influence adolescents' intentions to use the drug. The researchers also
asked participants about their outcome beliefs -- whether or not they
thought using marijuana would be good for them personally and or socially.

Their research shows regular exposure to marijuana advertising on
storefronts, billboards, retailer websites and other locations increased
the likelihood of adolescents using marijuana.

"While there are restrictions against using advertising designed
specifically to target youth, it does still appear to be having some influence," Willoughby said. "Our research suggests a need to equip
adolescents with the knowledge and skills to critically evaluate
marijuana s." Location of retail stores also played a role but the
results of the survey were mixed.

While the actual density of marijuana retailers in an area was not
associated with adolescents' intentions to use, study participants who
said they lived within five miles of a marijuana shop were more likely
to report intentions to use the drug than those who perceived they lived farther away.

"This was especially the case when they also reported having positive
beliefs about marijuana use," Hust said. "The study participants who felt positively about marijuana and perceived living close to retailers were
the most likely to report intentions to use marijuana." The results of
the research team's study could have significant policy implications as
states that have legalized recreational marijuana use grapple with ways
to adhere to the drug's legal status while trying to prevent adolescent marijuana use.

For instance, most states with legalized marijuana restrict placing
retailers and s next to schools, but other locations, where adolescents
live and spend a lot of their time, remain largely unregulated.

"Our findings are particularly relevant given that most states that have legalized recreational marijuana have not restricted their proximity to neighborhoods or living areas, which may be particularly challenging in
large metropolitan areas," Hust said. "States may want to consider using
census data to identify the proportion of teens living in particular areas
as they identify the location for marijuana retailers." The researchers
are currently in the process of conducting a new experiment where they
are testing different types of s to see how young people interpret and
respond to them.

"One of the things this research and other studies suggest is that these
s are pretty prolific in certain areas and we want to see what type of
appeals are used in the s and how those appeals affect viewers," Hust
said. "Our long-term goal is really to develop a better understanding of
how adolescents can make heathy and informed decisions in an environment
in which marijuana is legal."

========================================================================== Story Source: Materials provided by Washington_State_University. Original written by Will Ferguson. Note: Content may be edited for style and
length.


========================================================================== Journal Reference:
1. Stacey J.T. Hust, Jessica Fitts Willoughby, Jiayu Li, Leticia Couto.

Youth's Proximity to Marijuana Retailers and Advertisements:
Factors Associated with Washington State Adolescents' Intentions
to Use Marijuana. Journal of Health Communication, 2020; 1 DOI:
10.1080/ 10810730.2020.1825568 ==========================================================================

Link to news story: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/10/201008142132.htm

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